Winter's Ambition
by FictionPWR
Summary: ( The wizarding world, 1941 ) Everyone saw it coming, though Winter wouldn't admit it. ' They're all murderers in this family, this is the longest bloodline of dark wizards ever known.' People would say. Hidden in the shadows of her ancestors, the youngest Crimson to this day is determined to break free of the past, and to prove her intentions and potential. * OC Fanfiction *


**Disclaimer! - I do not own the world of Harry Potter, and all the canon characters like Tom Marvolo Riddle or Albus Dumbledore as well as others belong to J.K. Rowling. As such, some facts and events in this story are false and have been inserted for the sake of the plot.**

 **However, Winter Crimson, Carina Shepperd and other OC characters not seen in the books or movies belong to me. So please do not steal or copy any of the concepts or characters!**

 **That's it! Enjoy!**

Part one - Azkaban

I most certainly did not want to end up in Azkaban. No one did. It meant you were a murderer, a madman, a prisoner, in any case, nothing I advise you to be. That night, I was running away from a murder I had committed. My blood cold from the shock, everything had seemed to have happened so fast. But do not worry, I was out of trouble.

I had framed my best friend for it after all.

I hurried away from the Elisabeth Tower, where police sirens rung loudly. I tightened my jacket around me. The smooth shape of my wand dug in my waist, I trembled at the thought of its disapproval of my cowardliness. I had received it barely a few months ago.

 __January 19th, 1941, Diagon Alley__

The Diagon Alley was busy that morning, wizards went and came restlessly. I wore a plain black dress and a cloak to protect myself from the cool air. My mind was swarming with dark and concerning thoughts, something unusual for I was usually cool-headed. Walking through the alleys I recognized comforting smells of scrolls, the hoot of owls, but none could distract me. I marched towards the wand shop, a frown plastered on my face. I almost ran into a customer walking out, as I muttered a quick apology and stormed in the shop, the bell of the door rung as I entered. It smelled of dust and wood, as usual, sound absorbed by the racks that seemed to go as far as I could see, in the back of the shop. No one was to be seen. I inhaled sharply.

" Mr. Ollivander? Are you here?" Something stumbled somewhere in the back. Mildly concerned, I approached the counter, gazing over it gazing in the shadows of the dusty racks of wand boxes. The shop owner made an appearance, his hair messy as usual, in his hands were a wand he was cleaning with a tissue. His eyes brightened as he recognized me from years ago when I came to receive my first wand, made with hornbeam wood and filled with unicorn hair, but soon his features darkened when he saw the look on my face.

"Miss Crimson, how may I help you?" I hesitated. It was hard for me to tell what his reaction would be. He raised his eyebrows and approached the counter. I nodded briefly and fetched in my cloak. With shaking fingers, I brought out my wand, or at least what was left of it. The fine curled wood was split in two, the edges split roughly apart where it had parted as the wand had burst from the inside. The unicorn hair was exposed. But instead of being white, reflecting rainbow colors like a shell would, it was black and rotten and sick as if something had been infecting it for a long time. Ollivander winced like he was looking at a deceased person.

" I don't know what happened-" I hurried, trying to justify the condition of my property.

" I was practicing new spells, but it's like the Incendio Tria I was trying to cast- I don't know- I don't know what I did wrong-" I made a break. The wandmaker and seller said nothing. He took the pieces delicately and observed carefully the state. I looked him straight in the eye. " You can fix it, right?" I was hoping for a miracle. This wand had been my first and I wished for it to be my last. We suited so well together as I knew we were going to have a bond no other wand would compare. I descended of a powerful pure blood lineage. My first wand trial, however, had been a disaster, and only this wand seemed to accept me and help me control my power. It was all I needed.

Ollivander looked up at me. His eyes were full of something, I couldn't possibly describe. Sadness, curiosity, questioning- It was a mix of something dark I didn't want to know the backstory of. I knew his answer before I heard it.

" I'm afraid, " He put down the pieces of what was now nothing but wood and burned hair on the counter. " Once something is truly lost, one can never get it back. " I sighed and looked down at my shoes, polished black boots I used at all times. " I believe this isn't your fault. Maybe, you just weren't suited for one another." I bit my inner cheek. When I lifted my head to meet his eyes once more, they had the same energy as when he looked at me when I was just a little girl. It seemed he had completely forgotten I had combusted his wand. Was he excited for me to break more windows like the first time I got to play with one of his masterpieces? I nodded, encouraging him to give me another chance. He grinned.

" I knew you were some strong, interesting person the first time I set my eyes on you. But to the point where your own power betrays you? Ah, no, that was unexpected. " He turned around and kept on talking to himself while looking at his making. " Perhaps you need something to give you more room for strength- or, on the other hand, something more stiff for you to be more precise? " I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but I didn't dare ask about it. He came back with a box, opened it and handed it to me. It was dark wood, fairly long, bumped to the touch. It was comfortably heavy. I raised a questioning eyebrow at the man. " It's made of pine, cored with dragon heartstring." I inhaled, took a step back and with a twist of the wrist cast a spell towards the ceiling, what I thought to be the safest place to aim.

A bolt of light struck from the wand, bounced off the ceiling in a twisted angle and went straight for the door.

The spell struck the floor, leaving a blackened mark.

" Sorry." I took the powerful object in both my hands, preventing any accidental outburst of magic. I pivoted to the shop owner who just shrugged, dismissing the accident lightly.

" Now, after watching you-" He made a gesture towards me and the door, something that said 'Almost made a hole through my floor' although he did not want to word it. "- you know, I thought you could try out some... willow perhaps?" He took a box right underneath of him." I have a feeling," He approached slowly, keeping an eye on the willow wand he was holding, smooth and slender. Meanwhile, I was putting back the other wand inside the box. I looked up when he paused, wondering what it could be he wanted to tell me. " Your power... is being leashed by the wand. It's unusual, and difficult to explain, but until we find the wand most adapted to bring the best out of you, you'll be a public danger. " I nodded gravely. He chuckled lightly like it just meant he was going to enjoy himself watch me burn the place down until I find the right one, and handed me the next wand with an encouraging smile. I took it, but he raised a hand, stopping me before I would do anything. " But first, let me get you a decent target that isn't my shop." He went to the back, where I heard some voices and shuffles until he came back with a pot with a single yellow flower blooming in it. " Here, do whatever you want with that, as long as the result is what you expected. " I nodded and made a sharp hand movement.

" Herbivicus!" I said clearly and authoritatively. A bright green light shone from the tip. A pleasant feeling of success bloomed in my chest.

What did not bloom, was the flower. When the light dimmed again, I saw with sudden disappointment that the flower had perished, now shriveled and black. I sighed in frustration, giving away the wand once more.

" Alright. Next one, whatever you believe will work out with me. " I waited patiently for him to return, staring in disdain at the dead organism. I was certain Ollivander would not lose patience, and I hoped I wouldn't either. Time went by, and I found myself wondering what took him so long, where he could be that was such a mess he wouldn't find what he was looking for. He came back with a box this time, muttering to himself. He set it in front of me without a word and opened it to reveal what I was going to try out next. It was beautiful, long and straight and with a dark shade of brown, orange spots dancing all over it like fire was trapped inside. I took it in a firm hand, the curves perfectly fitting my hand. " Acacia, and phoenix feather. Both are quite rare, I must say, but perfect for the most gifted. Go ahead." He backed away, giving me a bit of space for thought. I felt the power of the wand, almost addictive. I raised it towards the plant pot, thinking of the wildest and most beautiful flowers I had ever seen, back in the days when I lived in the countryside with my father. I inhaled, warmth radiating in me.

"Her-" The wand sparked and the pot shattered. The feeling dropped away. My jaw hung open wide, words unable to form in my mouth. It didn't even let me finish the incantation. Like it knew I wasn't up to it. I breathed heavily, disappointment and rage flooding my veins. Everything remained quiet, like a stage where somehow people knew it wasn't going to be fantastic but somehow it still managed to be worst than expectations. Like the actor left the scene, knowing they didn't make it, but no one said a word because they knew it could be that way. I looked at Ollivander, my lips pressed together tightly. I put the wand back in the box, and he just stayed silent for a long moment.

" You know," He started. Being such an expert at knowing who needs what and who deserves what wand, it must have been unusual for him to have so many wands refuse a person. Slowly, he began packing the boxes of wands together again. " Just about a year ago, I met up with other wandmakers from all around the world in one big tea party. I got to learn about new ways of making wands, products, business, materials, and just about other great wandmakers in general. You may not know them, but amongst them were Violetta Beauvais, Johannes Bonker, or even Mykew Gregorovitch." Indeed, I had barely heard of them, as I took little interest in wand making. Aside from that, I listened attentively to what he was getting at. " But one of them stood out the most to me. Shikoba Wolfe had come especially for this event, planning on going back to the United States straight after he was done. We talked, and he told me about his wand making, and we soon became interested in one another's techniques. Thus, he gave me some of his thunderbird's tail feathers he had brought along- a rare material you find in his native country only- and taught me how to use it. I wasn't planning on selling the one I made. I doubted anyone would want of it. " I shot him a confused look, not understanding why a person wouldn't want a wand made with special core. He turned around, still talking as he did so. " But things change, and you may want to try it out for yourself, and make your opinion about it before anyone fills you in with foolish superstitions. " Ollivander left once more, taking the boxes with him. Not knowing what to make of this, I stood where I was, waiting for a verdict on the next wand he was planning on giving me. There were more shuffles and more voices, most questioning and incredulous. The man came back, opening eagerly another box.

" Try this. " He presented a black wand, designed to make it look like the dark wood intertwined around the wand, fading back in the wood towards the tip. Three gems were also noticeable, a transparent pale rose going up, smaller towards the tip. I took it in my hand and compared to all wands I had ever tried, this one remained... almost quiet. It had very little feeling to it, barely and audible murmur that I couldn't make sense of. Instead of backing away as he did with the other wands, Ollivander walked all the way around the counter and stood to the side of it, in case my blow came out of control. Somehow this particular wand impressed the witness, and that did not exactly reassure me. I inhaled, believing that maybe, I could do miracles with just this one. But, what was it, that made the other in the room so interested in what would happen? what was it they knew, that I didn't? I came closer to the counter, facing the broken mess of the plant pot. Aiming to wand at them, I pronounced the spell softly, but steadily.

" Herbivicus." Was what I said, but in my mind, I left room for so much more than just making a plant bloom. In theory, the charm would not have worked, for I needed a live plant. I silently cast a dozen other spells, in my head, to make it happen.

The pieces rose in the air, slowly, as emerald light flickered on them. They spun slowly, orbiting around the biggest piece that was to be found. Moss began to grow on each of them, and soon small blue flowers followed. Vines crept on the floating pottery and climbed on one another, connecting them like a tiny system of its own. The moss had reached maturity, the flowers starred the tiny universe my magic had just created. Once the job was done, I stepped away. The broken pot had been more radiant than ever, to Ollivander's awe. They kept on spinning a few seconds after I had stepped back.

But unable to support its own weight without magic, the system fell under the curse of gravity once more and crashed loudly onto the counter. I let out a small 'oh' of deception. Ollivander stepped back behind the counter.

" Well, that's settled. Congratulations on your new wand, Miss. Crimson. " I clutched the object in front of my chest.

" Right. You didn't tell me the materials. Thunderbird tail feather, I presume, but what about the wood? And the size?"

" 12 centimeters. That's going to be a change from the last one, isn't it? It was quite small." He nodded to himself as he cleaned up the counter from the dirt. I stared at him.

" And the wood?" He hesitated, like picking the right words to use. He seemed to give up and went for an honest answer.

" Elder wood. Really, I didn't think I'd find anyone for it for the next years." My eyes widened with surprise.

" But I thought these weren't even made anymore. Too difficult to sell, and, you know, the whole bad luck thing. " He nodded, not willing to look up.

" And so, are you going to not take it for some stories?" I made a face at him, clearly stating I was determined to not let go of the only wand of the shop that would let me use it.

" What are you saying? It'll be an honor to be accompanied with such a wand."

A small part of me wondered if it had made the right choice. On the other hand, the quiet personality of the wand made me feel like I got to be in my personal bubble, where only I had access to my thoughts and personal space. As I ran away from the chaos, I found myself turning to the magical object for comfort. It was only us, now, just me and the spirit traveling side by side with me that knew about the darkness in my actions that fatal night. For the months to follow, I would find myself protecting this secret as my life depended on it. Because it did.

 **Thank you for reading! Honestly, I wrote this a while ago and wasn't even planning on posting it anywhere. I hope you enjoyed!**


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